Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group (UMG), returned to Tokyo this week to celebrate Japan’s creative talent and attend the second annual Music Awards Japan, organized by the Culture and Entertainment Industry Promotion Association (CEIPA).
UMG artists Fujii Kaze and Mrs. GREEN APPLE won two of the top prizes at the event. Fujii Kaze won Best Album for Prema, while Mrs. GREEN APPLE was named Best Artist at the ceremony in Tokyo on Saturday (June 13).
During the visit, Grainge met artists, songwriters, entrepreneurs, and policymakers, including Ryosei Akazawa, Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry.
Akazawa led Japan’s tariff negotiations with the United States.
Akazawa described the meeting in a post on X: “The chairman remarked that Japan‘s music industry has strong global potential from both cultural and market perspectives,” Akazawa wrote.
“We agreed to work together with the United States to strengthen the international expansion of music originating from Japan.”
Ahead of the ceremony, Grainge delivered remarks at an official gala for Music Awards Japan, according to UMG.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi also spoke at the gala, the company said.
The event drew around 1,000 guests, including representatives of the organizations behind CEIPA, the Culture and Entertainment Industry Promotion Association that organizes the awards.
“Japan has always been one of the world’s greatest music nations, home to extraordinary creativity, passionate fans, and artists and songwriters who continually push boundaries.”
Sir Lucian Grainge
Grainge said: “Japan has always been one of the world’s greatest music nations, home to extraordinary creativity, passionate fans, and artists and songwriters who continually push boundaries.
“My congratulations to CEIPA and everyone who has helped bring Music Awards Japan to life. The return of these awards for a second year reflects both that creative strength and the growing opportunity for Japanese artists to reach new audiences around the world.”
Mrs. GREEN APPLE also took the top artist prize at the inaugural awards in 2025, while Fujii Kaze won the top album award that year for LOVE ALL SERVE ALL.
Music Awards Japan launched in 2025 and is voted on by more than 5,000 music professionals from Japan and abroad.
This year’s edition spanned around 70 award categories.
In February, Mrs. GREEN APPLE became the highest-ranked Japanese act in the history of the IFPI Global Artist Chart, placing at No. 13 on the 2025 ranking.
They were the only Japanese act on the 2025 chart, which was topped by Taylor Swift.
The band’s anniversary album 10, which has sold more than 1 million copies, also reached No. 10 on the IFPI‘s Global Album Chart for 2025.
UMG says the band was Japan’s best-selling act last year, and the No. 2 act in Asia behind South Korea’s Stray Kids.
In July 2025, Mrs. GREEN APPLE became the first act in J-pop history to surpass 10 billion cumulative domestic streams, according to Billboard Japan.
Both Fujii Kaze and Mrs. GREEN APPLE are signed to Universal Music Japan.
UMG operates in Japan through Universal Music Japan, whose President and CEO Naoshi Fujikura told MBW last year that the company has tripled its sales over his tenure.
The company describes itself as the market leader in Japan, the world’s second-largest recorded music market after the US.
Japan returned to growth in 2025, with recorded music revenues rising 8.9% year-on-year, according to the IFPI.Music Business Worldwide
